Separable connecting device for slide fasteners



NOV. 3, 1931. E, w rr 1,830,079

SEPARABLE CONNECTING DEVICE FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Filed May 9, 1930 IN V ENTOR.

Ernesi .WZ Wh'itng.

BY my" A TTOR Y1 V Patented Nov. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT? OFFICE ERNEST M. WHITNEY, OF PROVIDENCE,

RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO JEIOOKIESS FASTENER OOMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA SEPAEABLE CONNECTING DEVICE FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Application filed Kay 9,

aration of the fastener stringers is desirable in various articles,-and-particularly articles of clothing such as shirts, sweaters, coats and the like.

The general functions of the separable end connection are to hold together securely the ends of the fastener stringers by anchoring them against relative movement in all directions, and to position or aline the fastener elements on the opposite stringers so that they may be engaged in the proper order by the slider. As is common in such devices, one of the members of the connection provides a suitable stop for preventing removal of the slider from one of the stringers when the other stringer is disconnected therefrom.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simplified form of separable end connection for slide fasteners which may easily be manipulated and which possesses sufficient holding strength to provide a secure connection for the ends of the fastener stringers.

A more specific ob'ect is to provide an improved device of t e type described, in which the members have cooperating projections, at least one of which is offset from the longitudinal face to engage and lock behind the other to prevent lateral separation, in combination with notches and projections or their equivalent in the longitudinal faces of the members to prevent transverse and longitudinal movement.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully ap car during the course of the following specification and the novel features will be defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a slide fastener having my invention associated i therewith.

1980. Serial No. 451,027.

Fig. 2 is a view of the lower ends of the stringers, illustrating the manner of disconnecting my improved device.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the opposite side of the connecting members.

A Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the connecting members.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cooperating connecting member.

Fig. 6 is an edge view of the separable end connection.

The improved end connecting device of my invention is adaptable for use in connection with any of the known types of slide fasteners, the one illustrated comprising a pair of flexible stringers 6 and 7 having cooperating rows of fastener elements 8 and 9 respectively on their adjacent longitudinal edges. As is well understood in the art, these fastener elements are adapted to be progressively engaged or released sim ly by movement of a-slider 10 having a suite le Y-shaped channel through which the fastener elements pass during interlocking or disengaging. The slider is actuated by a suitable pull member 11 attached to the body of .the slider by a lug 12. In Fig. 2 the slider is shown in horizontal section and the Y-sha ed channel is plainly seen. This channel as branches l3 and 14 diverging toward the rear end of the slider, which join with the single branch 15 at the forward end of the slider. The walls of this channel are defined by the side flanges 16 and 17 on the slider wings and the triangular shaped neck or wing connection 18.

The separable end connection comprises a pair of connecting members 19 and 20 which are provided with suitable clamping portions 21 and 22 respectively for securely attaching the members on the corded edges of the flexible strin ers 6 and 7. The member 19 preferably a uts againsthe endmost fastener element 8 on its stringer while the member 20 is spaced sufficiently from the endmost elemeat on its stringer to permit the oppos' e lower locking member to enter between t e 'member 20 and the end fastener element Suitable means is provided on the outer longitudinal faces of the connecting members to prevent relative longitudinal movement and relative transverse movement, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the stringers. or this pur ose, the member 20 has the notches 23 whic are about half the depth of the connecting member, and a r0- jection 24 between the notches on one si e of the member 20. The opposite side is provided with a notch 25 and the rojectin portions 26 arranged in staggere vrelatio with respect to the notches 23 and rojection 24. The member 19 is formed wit similar cooperating notches and projections to register with the notches and projections in the member 20. For example, the projecting portions or lugs 23a fit into the notches 23, the notch 24a receives the projection 24'and similarly the projection 25a fits into the notch 25 and the notches 26aon the member 19 receive the projections 26 on the .member 20. It will, of course, be apparent that various arran ments of notches and projections may be evised which will accomplish the desired purose.

Instead of the familiar form of'male and female connection between the members, they are provided with longitudinal projections or arms designated 27 on the member 19, and 28 on the member 20. One or both of these projecting arms extends into laterally oflfset relation with respect to the longitudinal face of the members in order that they may overlap behind one another as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, and prevent lateral separation. In other words, the arms overlap and cross each other. The projection 27 preferabl has a head 29 with a rounded guiding sur ace and except in the head ortion, is of only about half the thickness 0? the body portion of the connecting member. The rojection 28 on the member 20 is also of only about half the thickness of the body part but positioned on the opposite side of the member so as to overlap with the projection 27 and rmit its head portion 30 .to engage behind hnd lock with the head 29. This projection 28 has also a lateral extension 31 which acts as a stop for the slider as shown in Fig. 2, to prevent removal of the slider from the stringer which carries the member 20, when the opposite st1 Inger is separated therefrom.

The operation of my improved end connecting device will now be readily apparent in view of the foregoing description. Assuming that the fastener stringers are completely separated and it is desired to connect them together, the slider is positioned against the stop lug 31 and the operator catches hold of the stringer which carries the connecting member 19 with his thumb and finger and inserts it through the branch 13 of the slider channel. The round nose of the head 29 will guide the projection 27 over the projection 28 as illustrated in Figs. .2 and 3, until the body of the member 19 strikes 1,sso,ovs.

in the longitudinal faces will interengage so that the members are held effectively against separation in all directions. 4

If it is desired to disconnect the'stringers,

the slider is moved to the end carrymg the connecting members, against the stop 31 and thereupon the members 19 and 20 will be spread apart at an angle to each other, as s own in Figs. 2 and 3. The stringer 6 with its member 19 can now be withdrawn from the slider.

As a result of my invention, it will be observed that a novel form of end connecting device for separable fasteners has been devised in which a pair of projectin arms engage behind each other instead oft e threading of a pin or the like into a socket. The combination of the overlapping projecting heads and the interengaging notches and projections afiords a secure but sim le form of connection for the ends of the stringers.

While I have in this application specifically described one embodiment which m invention may assume in ractice, it be understood that'this em ent is merelyfor the purposes of illustration and description and that various other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as myinvention is:

1. In a slide fastener, a pair of fastener stringers, cooperatin ments attached to sai strin rs, a slider movable along said elements or-engagin and releasing the same, and a separable en connection for said stringers at one end of said rows of elements comprising a connecting member on the end of one stringer having a projecting arm at its end, and a connecting member on the opposite stringer having a projecting arm at its end, cooperating means on the lon 'tudinal faces of said members for preventing relative transverse and longitudinal movement in all directions, at least one of said arms having a laterally ofiset head for en agement behind the other of said arms to Ice said members against lateral separation.

-2. In a slide fastener, a pair of fastener stringers, coo eratin rows of fastener elements attache to sai stringers, a slider movable alon said elements for engaging and releasing t e same, and a separab e end connection for said stringers at one end of said rows of elements comprising a connecting member on the end of one stringer having a projecting arm at its end, and a connectlng member on the opposite stringer having a projecting arm at its end, said arms extend-.

ing into overlapping and crossed relation, 8

rows of fastener elehead on one of said arms which locks behind the other arm to prevent lateral separation of said members, and cooperating means on said members to prevent relative transverse movement.

3. In a slide fastener, a pair of fastener stringers. cooperating rows of fastener elements attached to said strin ers, a slider movable along said elements or engaging and releasing the same, and a separable end connection for said stringers at one end of said rows of elements comprising a connecting member on the end of one stringer havin a projecting arm at its end, and a connecting member on the opposite stringer havin a projecting arm at its end, cooperating notc es and projections on the adjacent longitudinal faces of said members to prevent relative transverse and longitudinal separation, said arms overlapping and crossing each other, and a lug on one of said arms to engage behind a portion of the other of said arms to prevent lateral separation.

4:. In a slide fastener, a pair of fastener stringers, cooperating rows of fastener elements attached to said strin ers, a slider movable along said elements or engagin and releasing the same, and a separable en connection for said stringers at one end of said rows of elements comprising a connecting member on the 'end of one stringer having a longitudinally projecting arm at its end and a connecting member on the opposite stringer having a projecting arm at its end, said arms overlapping and crossing each other, and interengaging heads on the ends of said arms which look behind one another to prevent separation of said members.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ERNEST M. WHITNEY. 

